essential to form a good knight. In future, I will do all I can to make up
for lost time. As far as swordsmanship goes, you can have no better
instructor than your friend. I myself will train you in knightly exercises
on horseback--to vault into the saddle and to throw yourself off when a
horse is going at full speed, to use your lance and carry off a ring; but
I will take care not to press you beyond your strength, and not to weary
you with over-long work. My effort will be to increase your store of
strength and not to draw unduly upon it; and I will warrant me that if you
improve as rapidly under my tuition as you have under that of Master
Edgar, before a year is up I shall be able to place you in the train of
some noble knight without a fear that you will prove yourself inferior to
others of your own age."

Going into the house again when the morning meal was served, Sir Ralph
said:

"There is bad news as to the rioters in Kent, lads. Last night I heard
that a message had arrived, saying that they had entered Rochester, broken
open the jail, and released not only those held there for non-payment of
taxes, but malefactors; that they had been joined by the rabble of the
town, had slain several notaries and lawyers, and torn up all parchments,
deeds, and registers; had maltreated some of the clergy, broken open
cellars and drunk the wine, and that from thence they intended to march to
Maidstone and then to Canterbury, raising the country as they went."

"This should at least give us time for preparations, Sir Ralph."

"So I pointed out last night," the knight replied; "but who is to make the
preparations? A proclamation was drawn up by the council, warning all to
return to their homes on pain of punishment, and promising an inquiry into